BAD WIFE

Chapter {14}

Baylee had missed a few days of work this past week. Her energy was at an all-time low. It was like her body had betrayed her—constantly exhausted, constantly hungry, yet today, not even food could settle the storm of nerves in her stomach.

She was contemplating abortion.

An appointment had been made. A discreet, upscale clinic—one that catered to women like her. Private. Untraceable. It felt like hiring a hitman.

The comparison made her stomach churn.

The queasiness had started the moment she hung up the phone. Cold, paralyzing guilt coursed through her veins. She wasn't cut out for this. Not for motherhood. There wasn't a single nurturing bone in her body.

She was selfish—and painfully self-aware. She didn't want to give up her sleep, her freedom, her carefully curated life. She didn't want to deal with sticky hands, runny noses, or vomit-soaked shirts. Kids were noisy, messy, and relentless. She couldn't picture herself with a toddler on her hip calling her Mommy. The very thought made her dizzy.

She dressed simply: white shorts and a loose T-shirt, trying to feel numb, blank. But inside, she was unraveling. Her tinted limo cab picked her up from a hidden location—no paparazzi, no questions. She slid inside the backseat and stared silently out the window as the car glided through the city.

Then—she saw him.

A little boy. No older than three. Standing with his mother at a crosswalk, his tiny hand curled into hers. His hair was messy, but his face... it looked like a miniature version of a man. A little gentleman in shorts and sneakers. Something about him made her breath hitch.

Her mind betrayed her.

Would mine be a boy?

Would he look like Niko?

She swallowed the lump forming in her throat.

He'd be so beautiful if he did...

And just like that, she had given the baby a face. A gender. A future. Her chest constricted as she sucked in a sharp breath.

What was she even thinking?

By the time they reached the clinic, her limbs felt disconnected. She couldn't move. Her muscles locked, her hand frozen on the door handle. Her throat burned with unspoken fear and a swelling ache in her chest.

She couldn't do it.

She couldn't go in there and let someone stop the heartbeat inside her. She wasn't just scared—she was horrified. This wasn't just a procedure. This was her child. And no matter how selfish she believed she was... somewhere deep inside, she still had a heart.

It was pounding now—racing in her ribs like it wanted to protect the life growing beneath it.

Her lips trembled as she looked at the driver through the rearview mirror.

"Take me to Nikolai's place," she said hoarsely. "Please."

There was no plan. No script. No idea how he'd respond. But something inside her needed him to know. She couldn't do this alone—not anymore.

The ride felt like a blur. Her thoughts spiraled with each passing block. What would she say? Would he even want the baby? Would he hate her for keeping it—or worse, for almost not?

Moments later, she found herself standing at the front desk of his luxury building. Her legs wobbled slightly beneath her. The security officer picked up the phone and dialed an extension.

"Sir, you have a guest," he said. "Baylee is her name." A few seconds passed. He nodded and hung up. "You can go up."

Each step toward the elevator felt like a hundred. Her pulse pounded in her ears as the lift rose. She hadn't been here since that night. The night she had crawled into his bed like a coward. The night everything changed.